Montclair Coronavirus Update: State Of Emergency, Schools Close

MONTCLAIR, NJ — As Montclair continues to cope with rising cases of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19, institutions across town are shutting down in an effort to protect residents from the illness.

On Sunday, the Montclair Office of Emergency Management (OEM) declared a state of emergency due to the virus.

The Montclair OEM issued the following necessary measures to be effective Monday, March 16:

• Gatherings of 250 or more individuals are prohibited in the Township of Montclair.
• No restaurant or bar in the Township of Montclair shall serve food or alcoholic beverages for consumption on the premises on all days between the hours of 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. Nothing in this order shall prohibit take-out, to-go or delivery service as otherwise permitted by law. Customers must vacate the premises no later than 10 p.m.

The order will be in effect through March 31, unless extended, township officials said.

Authorities say three people in Montclair have been diagnosed with presumptive positive cases of COVID-19.

A 66-year-old Montclair woman was hospitalized at Hackensack Meridian Health Mountainside Hospital with a presumptive positive case of the new coronavirus, state health officials announced Thursday.

On Friday, two additional presumptive positive COVID-19 cases in Montclair were announced.
"A 77-year-old female and a 60-year-old male tested positive for COVID-19 on March 13," Montclair health officials said. "Both are being treated at Hackensack Meridian Health Mountainside hospital."

At this point, the cases appear to be unrelated, Montclair health officials said.

• See related article: 3 People Hospitalized In Montclair With Coronavirus (UPDATED)

SCHOOL CLOSINGS

The Montclair Public School District announced it will be closing all school buildings and rolling out “remote learning” beginning on Monday, March 16. (Read the full statement)

“We will evaluate the need to open schools or remain closed, in approximately two weeks,” school administrators said. “However, please prepare as if school buildings will be closed through April 19. If circumstances indicate that we stay closed until spring break, schools will reopen on Monday, April 20.”

For now, students will be “remote learning,” via Google Classroom, email and other online educational platforms. Attendance will be taken and the central office will remain available remotely. The Technology Department is in the process of preparing devices for students, including Chromebooks and hotspots.

Food service for qualifying students will continue. The pick-up location will be at Hillside School on the B side entrance (red door) on Monday between the hours of 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m.

“We understand that this remote learning plan will cause significant impact on your family, our community, and our staff,” Interim Superintendent of Schools Nathan Parker wrote. “Please know that we made this decision solely for the health and safety of everyone. While your children are not in the school buildings, please remember that social distancing is known to prevent the spread of Coronavirus, and we urge you to advise your children to continue this practice for the safety of your extended family and community.”

RECREATION PROGRAMS SUSPENDED

The Montclair Department of Recreation & Cultural Affairs has suspended township recreation programs and activities “until further notice,” authorities announced Saturday.

“In addition, Clary Anderson Arena will be closed tomorrow, March 15 through March 31,” municipal officials wrote. “During this time, we will continue to assess the situation in the coming weeks and share updates with the community.”

LIBRARY TO CLOSE

The Montclair Public Library will be closed to the public effective Saturday, March 14 to help prevent the spread of the illness.

Staff noted:

• All programs, classes, outreach, and events are cancelled
• The Montclair Literary Festival, scheduled for March 25-29, has been postponed with a tentative reschedule date of Saturday, September 12.
• All items will have their due dates extended

The library will be professionally cleaned by a bio-decontamination company before we reopen to the public, staff said.

“We understand the impact this will have on many in our community who rely on us and our services, but we believe it is the responsible and prudent action to take,” library staff said. “We tentatively anticipate reopening sometime during the week of March 30.”

MONTCLAIR ANIMAL SHELTER

The Montclair Township Animal Shelter is offering food and supplies for any pet whose family may be in need. Anyone out of work or anyone feeling "pet food insecure" is welcome to come to the shelter for assistance, officials said.

“Please contact the shelter before coming for supplies, as our hours of operation may change due to state or local government restrictions,” staff wrote. “If you are a Montclair resident and a senior citizen. We will make arrangements to drop off supplies to you.”

Residents can call 973-744-8600 between 1 and 4 p.m. or email mtas@montclairnjusa.org. The Montclair Township Animal Shelter is located at 77 North Willow Street.

PARKING RESTRICTIONS LIFTED

Montclair township officials issued the following statement on Saturday night:

“In light of the circumstances involving the novel coronavirus which will require many to telecommute or stay home with children while schools are closed, the Montclair Parking Utility is suspending 2- and 4-hour parking limits on streets where parking is permitted. The street parking time-limit suspension is effective immediately and will remain in effect through March 31. Overnight parking rules remain in effect.”

CORONAVIRUS IN NEW JERSEY

The number of people with the coronavirus in New Jersey had risen to 69 as of Saturday. Authorities said two people have died. Read more: NJ Coronavirus Updates: Here's What You Need To Know

Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency, schools across the state have begun to cancel classes, and local governments and community organizations have launched their own efforts to protect residents from the virus.

In general — depending on where they live — New Jersey residents still face a “low risk” of contracting COVID-19, State Epidemiologist Christina Tan said during a Wednesday press conference.

There have been more than 2,900 confirmed U.S. cases of the new coronavirus as of Sunday morning according to Johns Hopkins University, which says the disease also has killed 57 people nationwide.

New Jersey Coronavirus Updates: Don't miss local and statewide announcements about novel coronavirus precautions. Sign up for Patch alerts and daily newsletters.

WHAT IS COVID-19?

Coronaviruses are a family of viruses that include the common cold as well as much more serious diseases. The strain that emerged in China in late 2019, now called COVID-19, is related to others that have caused serious outbreaks in recent years, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS). The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the U.S. was on Jan. 21.

The disease, which apparently originated in animals, is now transferring from person to person, although the mechanism is not yet fully understood. Its symptoms include fever, coughing and shortness of breath, and many patients develop pneumonia. There is as yet no vaccine against COVID-19 it and no antiviral treatment.

According to the CDC, the best way of preventing the disease is to avoid close contact with people who are sick, to avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands, to wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds, and to use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60 percent alcohol if soap and water are not available.

To avoid spreading any respiratory illness, the CDC recommends staying at home when you are sick, covering your cough or sneeze with a tissue and throwing the tissue in the trash, cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched objects and surfaces.

The CDC does not recommend that people who are well wear a face mask to protect themselves from respiratory illnesses, including COVID-19. You should only wear a mask if a health care professional recommends it. A face mask should be used by people who have COVID-19 and are showing symptoms. This is to protect others from the risk of getting infected. The use of face masks also is crucial for health workers and other people who are taking care of someone infected with COVID-19 in close settings (at home or in a health care facility).

Residents who have questions about the virus can contact the State of New Jersey's hotline at 1 (800) 222-1222. The hotline is home of the New Jersey Poison Information and Education System, and is staffed 24 hours a day by state health workers.

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